Have you ever been somewhere just a half day’s drive from your home and couldn’t believe you’d never been there? This was the exact feeling we had when visiting the Apostle Islands.
The Apostle Island National Lakeshore is a group of 22 islands created of sand, gravel, and stone. The natural formations of the area bring you back in time to what our natural world has the power to do. Go here and you can see sandstone cliffs, sea caves, windows and arches, and sandy beaches. There is a rich history on these islands as they were used hundreds of years ago by the Ojibwe people as they migrated here and used the natural sources in connection with their culture to the natural world. In 2004, Congress designated 33,350 acres of the park to be protected as a National Lakeshore. There are two reservations in the Apostle Islands (Red Cliff and Bad River) that are established today as Ojibwe reservation land.
While you could easily spend several days here, we only had one day. We also have a dog and baby so our options were limited. The perfect option for us was the Lakeshore Trail. The Lakeshore Trail is the only trail on the mainland near Bayfield, Wisconsin. Getting to the islands takes more time and requires sea kayaking or a boat. The challenging terrain on the Lakeshore Trail allows you to see plenty of the geological sea cave features of the Apostle Islands. This was by far the most challenging hike we have done with Rory. We knew it was not out of our comfort level but the rain added an extra layer of caution as we hiked along the narrow trails paralleling the steep cliff drop-offs. Hiking in the rain brings a different experience no matter what. It brings emotions and physical challenges that are different from hiking on a perfect weather day but there is a unique experience to a rainy day hike that makes it mysterious, scary, and sometimes has you questioning “Why am I doing this?” It’s experiences like this that make you realize your physical and emotional capabilities.
The first 0.75 miles of the Lakeshore Trail is a boardwalk. This section is fairly easy for any hiking level to do but you will not see any of the caves on the boardwalk. The hike begins to get more challenging as you leave the boardwalk and start the inclines over the rocks, roots, and gravel terrain. There are a handful of lookouts as you get up the trail. I’d recommend hiking all the way to “The Bowl”. We turned around at “The Bowl” and in total, we were out on the hike for 2.5 hours over 4+ miles. On a nice weather day, it may be even shorter but we were taking our time. The rain made for more challenging terrain and we had to be cautious of any wet roots or rocks knowing that I had a baby on my back added a whole extra layer of caution. We were nearly the only ones out there because of the rain which made it more memorable and added a special touch to the experience.
My advice for anyone hiking in the rain with a baby is to use hiking poles and go slow! There is no reason to be in a rush to get to the overlook. The overlook will be there. The safety of you and your baby is the #1 priority when hiking no matter the terrain but especially on more rugged trails. The hiking poles help to support my body and footing. They help support when taking each step, especially when there might be a wet rock or root below.
My next piece of advice when hiking with a baby is to always have spare clothes! We didn’t have proper rain gear on him causing his legs to get wet. Our Luvdbaby hiking pack has a rain shade that protects most of his body but his legs hang out. The weather didn’t seem to be a bother until the very end when it rained hard. Once we got back to the van Rory’s lips were slightly blue and he was shivering. Luckily we were close enough to the van but this was a lesson to always have spare dry clothes for the baby.
If you are in physical shape to do the hike, I’d highly recommend the Lakeshore Trail for a day’s visit to the Apostle Islands. If you want a more laid-back approach, take a boat tour of the islands. No matter how you experience The Apostle Islands, this place is a natural unique beauty we have here in the Midwest.
